


Of Time and Words

by Matloc



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: M/M, but it has a happy ending, ex boyfriends, sorta pathetic!Akashi, trust me please god
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-08
Updated: 2015-08-08
Packaged: 2018-04-13 15:17:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4527078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Matloc/pseuds/Matloc
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In all fairness, his ex’s dog randomly showing up at his house is the last thing Akashi would ever expect.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Time and Words

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ceallachrion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ceallachrion/gifts).



> for chii because exes and pathetic!Akashi, which I honestly felt really uncomfortable writing pLS FORGIVE ME AKASHI-SAMA YOU PERFECT BEING ;;

Sometimes, Akashi wakes up too early. There are things he doesn’t want to dream about, because it’s during these times when he opens his eyes that he’s reminded of the empty pillow next to him, propped like it’s meant for someone else. He’s all too used to sinking in the middle of king-sized beds, but for a long time he has only ever felt comfortable sleeping a bit to the side. He has no real reason for it, not anymore. Now it’s mostly out of habit.

It’s during these days, where the sky greets him with a warm blush and the entire world lies still for just a little longer, that he wishes he had a smaller bed. Perhaps then it wouldn’t feel so cold.

Or empty.

His gaze lingers on the unoccupied side of the bed until he catches himself, slowly slides out of the covers and gets ready for work.

* * *

Akashi has always been a stickler for orderliness. Firing housekeepers and secretaries for minor fumbles does little to faze his conscience. A year ago he might have been more lenient. Back then a certain someone’s presence colored Akashi to some microbic extent considerate. Kindness, he thinks, is the thing that makes one most human in the raw delicacies of emotion. Ironically, it’s a quality that rubs off on people the least, because often times it’s inspired from within.

Kuroko tends to have that kind of effect on others.

Not that Akashi can speak for the present, but if there’s one thing he’s certain would never change about his ex, it would be boundless compassion that he gives and gives without a second thought. Nigou too, he took in years ago, just like that. Akashi doubts he would be capable of the same.

Especially when he finds said dog lounging blissfully on the sofa after coming back from work.

“Nigou,” he calls out in surprise, ill-prepared for the excited tackle that comes a second later, but Nigou’s still growing and stumbling, let alone falling isn’t a mechanism incorporated in Akashi’s bones. It does remind him of Kuroko, though, sprawled on the ground as a victim to Nigou’s enthusiastic greeting.

It’s one of the fonder memories, and likewise as hard to forget.

“Down, Nigou.” So naturally Nigou obeys that it doesn’t feel like a year had passed at all without seeing that scruffy face of his. He pats Nigou’s head with a small smile. “I missed you as well.”

Nigou yips happily in reply and settles back on his haunches, letting Akashi see just how much he’s grown in such a short time.

“Yet you still managed to get past the guards. You’re starting to resemble Tetsuya more and more.” His tone softens as the blue-haired man pops up in his mind once more. Being so easily reminded of things that were lost gives no time to ever recover, to dull the pain. Akashi indulges in it regardless.

Perhaps because Kuroko is something he doesn't want to forget.

He takes off his suit and tries not to think about it. Nigou nudges his leg some, and Akashi’s plan fails when the dog looks up with those bright eyes of his, resembling his ex in that one auspicious way that had blessed Nigou with his name.

“You should go back home,” Akashi says. “Tetsuya must be rather worried.”

But Nigou only responds with a whine, and Akashi’s left to fetch his cellphone, looking through his contacts. He stares at Kuroko’s name for a long time, thumb hovering over it but never quite touching the screen.

“If he doesn’t pick up, you can spend the night here,” Akashi decides, holding his breath, probably not even aware of it as he taps the call button and waits. The few seconds it takes for the call to connect feel like a lifetime and suddenly a plethora of memories surge into the front of his mind when a voice he thought he’d never get to hear again answers the phone.

“…Akashi-kun?”

It takes an entirety of thirty minutes for Kuroko to show up on his doorstep and for him to pretty much forcibly invite the shorter man in for a cup of coffee. No matter the outcome, Akashi adds in his itinerary to show Nigou his gratitude later on for bringing him a golden opportunity right to his living room.

Kuroko’s sitting on the opposite couch with Nigou at his feet. His haste to reach here leaves him out of breath and disheveled, and to Akashi he makes all the more such a lovely sight. It brings back countless emotions, and much more on the back of his tongue as it tingles with a flavor so distinct to Kuroko when they would kiss. He wonders if those lips still taste, still feel the same, and his gaze strays but Kuroko is observant as always and catches it soon enough. A coffee mug does little to hide the pink dusting Kuroko's face, however.

When Akashi relents, he does it with a shaky smile and a few words to break the ice, “I apologize for making you come all the way here, Tetsuya.”

Kuroko shakes his head. “Your house is close by.” Akashi latches onto that piece of information, files it away for later while wondering whether that was a slip up or something even a morsel close to what he’s been hoping for ever since Nigou showed up in his house.

Kuroko places the cold mug on the table before bowing his head. “I should be the one apologizing for imposing on you like this, Akashi-kun. I hope he didn’t cause any trouble.” Other than practically breaking into his house, that is.

“Not at all. It was of course unexpected, but I am rather happy to see Nigou after so long.” Akashi speaks with a quiet fondness, a kind that doesn’t hide words left unsaid, not entirely, because he knows Kuroko’s sharp enough to catch on to what’s always buried under details. Blue eyes look straight at him this time and Akashi swallows everything that rises under that steady gaze with the bitter taste of coffee.

“On the other hand,  _I_  cannot call this unexpected, to be honest. Lately, Nigou just stays in my bedroom staring at your photo.” Kuroko stops himself right there. That one’s definitely a slip up.

“Tetsuya—” Akashi stares at him with honest surprise. “You still keep a photo of me?”

Kuroko’s mouth snaps shut; he’s avoiding Akashi’s gaze, wringing his hands together to mask his nervousness.

“As do I,” Akashi breathes out, a little amazed, a little touched. “I have a photo of us on my desk. I wipe it clean every day.” He confesses, a heavy load, a year’s worth of practiced lines and imaginary scenarios lifting off his shoulders with so few words.

The ensuing silence between them is agitating, but he can’t say he regrets what he just said. He’s always been honest with Kuroko, baring everything to him as deep as he could go, and let Kuroko dig for the rest. The truth is one thing Akashi will never deny him, whether it’s good or bad would depend on Kuroko.

But he hopes. With every ounce of his being, Akashi hopes.

It hardly helps that Kuroko’s face doesn’t betray much of anything. “Six a.m.”

He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath and Akashi finds himself doing the same.

“I take Nigou out for walks at the nearby park every morning at six.” Kuroko gives him a small smile and Akashi forgets how to breathe for a second. “You can join us, if you like.”

There are a lot of things Akashi wants to say to Kuroko: that he looks even more handsome today than when they’d last seen each other; that he’s breathtaking when he smiles; that Akashi missed him, missed being with him, for so long, far too long.

He’ll save them for later.

For now, he smiles softly and tells him, “Yes, I’d like that.”

Akashi will make sure this time around he’ll have all the time in the world to tell Kuroko the rest.

 

**Author's Note:**

> have I ever mentioned how bad I am at writing angst


End file.
